“Guys!” Jake called out. Silence. “Oh no, not again.

I guess they didn’t see me make that last turn.

how am I

supposed to see where I’m going in all this

fog without a

flashlight?”

and that’s when he heard the footsteps.

This time he was certain that it was no squirrel,

no owl,

no gust of wind. These were heavy foo

tsteps walking though

the leaves.

Jake backed away quickly . . . and crashed

into a headstone.

he stumbled again as he tried to find the path a

nd the lights

that could illuminate his way out.

When he finally came to a small pool of light, the man

he had seen the night before was standin

g just a few feet away.

Jake’s feet felt as if they were glued to th

e ground. he couldn’t

move. and this time, Jake got a good look at the man.

The man had sunken eyes, and his skin was de

athly white.

he wore a long, torn coat. To Jake, it l

ooked like dirt was

falling in clumps from his ragged clothes. The man’s scalp was

peeling under his thin gray hair.

2020

In his hands, the man clutched a shovel. he was standing

beside a mound of freshly dug earth, next to a b

rand-new

headstone.

The man looked Jake right in the eyes.

“Chestnut!” he growled in a thick gravelly vo

ice.

2121

Night of the Gravedigger COMBO

Teacher’s Guide

Cold Whispers:

Night of the GravediggerScary Places:

Spooky Cemeteries

Night of the Gravedigger COMBO

TEACHER’S GUIDE

Fiction and Nonfiction Use this Teacher’s Guide to help students learn about fiction and nonfiction texts. The first section of the guide provides a basic overview of the genres, while the second section can be used as a lesson plan for comparing two individual titles about similar spooky topics.

CCSS Language Arts StandardsRI3.9 Compare and contrast the most important points and key

details presented in two texts on the same topic.

RI4.9 Integrate information from two texts on the same topic in order to write or speak about the subject knowledgeably.

Night of the Gravedigger COMBO • TEACHER’S GUIDE 2

Discuss Fiction and NonfictionPrompt students to describe the genres of fiction and nonfiction. Ask them to cite examples of each genre. For example, fiction includes short stories and novels, while nonfiction includes newspapers and textbooks.

Create a Chart or DiagramHelp students establish what the differences and similarities are between fiction and nonfiction by using a Venn diagram or a chart. Place fiction attributes on one side of the chart and nonfiction attributes on the other side, with a space in the middle for shared attributes.

Define Important Terms and ConceptsAssist students in defining the following literary terms and concepts in order to help compare fiction and nonfiction texts.

• Character (a person portrayed in a novel, short story, or play)• Characterization (the way the author describes a character)• Chronological order (the order in which events actually happened)• Facts (information that can be proven true)• Mood (the way the reader feels when reading a text)• Plot (sequence of events in a story where each event causes the next

event to happen)• Setting (where a story takes place)• Theme (the main idea of a story)

As students further explore works of fiction and nonfiction, they can apply the terms and concepts they have learned to individual books and add new words to this list.

Fiction NonfictionStories about

characters and events that are not real

Could be based on facts, but the facts cannot be proven and the overall

story is not true

Can include photos, but illustrations are

more common

Can have a plot, setting, and

themes

Can cover the same topic

Can have photos and illustrations

Stories about people and events that are real

Based on provable facts

Can include illustrations, but photos are more

common

Often includes an index

Night of the Gravedigger COMBO • TEACHER’S GUIDE 3

Remind Students

FictionExplain that some works of fiction can be based on fact. For example, a historical novel may use factual details about a particular time to create a realistic setting. Also, fiction can sound like the truth, even though the author has invented the information in the book.

NonfictionA nonfiction story, such as a ghost story, can include elements of fiction. For example, many visitors to the White House have claimed they saw the ghost of President Abraham Lincoln. While it’s true that Lincoln lived at the White House and the visitors are real people who are certain about what they saw, there is no concrete evidence to suggest that the ghost actually exists.

A Closer Look Cold Whispers: Night of the Gravedigger and Scary Places: Spooky Cemeteries

Objective: To have students compare fiction and nonfiction texts about scary cemeteries

1. Read Have students read the Cold Whispers title, Night of the Gravedigger. Then have them read the Scary Places title, Spooky Cemeteries. Ask students to take notes about the setting, characters, and any important themes as they read.

• Which of the stories is fiction? Which is nonfiction? How can you tell? Ask students what clues helped them figure out what genre each book falls into.

2. Compare and Contrast: What Is It?As a class, discuss different types of scary supernatural beings that students have read about or seen in movies and on television, such as vampires, ghosts, and zombies. Next, talk about the scary character in Night of the Gravedigger. The story never explicitly states what kind of supernatural being he is, but there are clues. Ask students to think about what the scary gravedigger might be. Does he seem like one kind of supernatural being, or does he have traits of two or more?

Then, compare and contrast the gravedigger’s words, actions, and descriptions to the scary characters in Spooky Cemeteries—especially those in “A Spine-Chilling Spirit” (pages 16–17) and “Resurrection Mary” (pages 18–19). How are the characters similar? How are they different?

Night of the Gravedigger COMBO • TEACHER’S GUIDE 4

3. Challenge Students: Identifying Character TraitsIn groups or as a class, have students describe the characters of Jake, Ralphie, Cheryl, and Pete. They should make a list of words or phrases that detail each kid’s personality. For example:

• Jake: nervous but determined• Ralphie: confident, likes to take charge• Cheryl: doesn’t let anyone know if she’s afraid• Pete: shy, more of a follower than a leader

In the story, how do the actions and words of each character reflect his or her personality?

4. Extend Knowledge: A Ghostly Graveyard VisitAsk students to imagine that they and a few friends decided to visit a graveyard on Halloween night. Would they see any ghosts? Have students write a short story about their adventure. Students can set their stories in one of the real-life graveyard locations in Spooky Cemeteries. Ask students to give each character unique personality traits, and to illustrate those traits with specific words and actions.